Sports books offer prop bet buffet for Championship Sunday

Championship Sunday used to be the calm before the proverbial Super Bowl prop bet tsunami. Not anymore.

The Westgate posted 20 prop bets Tuesday on the NFC championship game between the Packers and Falcons and 20 on the AFC title game between the Steelers and Patriots, and Station Casinos upped the ante Thursday with the release of more than 100 prop bet options on the games.

“Our guests pretty much require us to be more creative on Super Bowl weekend, but we decided to get a jump on that,” Sunset Station sports book director Chuck Esposito said. “Because of the offensive firepower and popularity of these four teams, we decided to carve out Propatopia for championship weekend.”

Westgate sports book manager Jeff Sherman said he expects to book about 80 percent of the action on sides, totals and props on game day. However, he said the most consistently popular prop in this year’s playoffs has been on whether the first score of the game will be a touchdown or any other score.

“They love playing the ‘any other score,’” Sherman said. “They take that plus-money every time.”

The ‘any other score’ has hit in four of the first eight playoff games, including both of Sunday’s games, when Dan Bailey booted a field goal to open the scoring in the Packers-Cowboys, and Chris Boswell did the same to start Pittsburgh’s win over Kansas City.

The ‘any other score’ prop is plus-150 in the AFC title game and plus-170 in the NFC.

Station Casinos has posted some traditionally popular Super Bowl prop bets for Sunday’s games, such as will there be a safety (yes is plus-700 in AFC, plus-650 in NFC), will there be a successful 2-point conversion (yes is plus-170 in AFC, plus-200 in NFC) and will there be overtime (yes is plus-800 in AFC, plus-900 in NFC), along with a bevy of others, including odds on the player to score the first touchdown in each game.

Handicapper Dana Lane (DanaLaneSports.com) is playing Matt Ryan over 2½ touchdown passes (minus-130) and Atlanta total points over 33 (minus-110).

“I like to play props to create a middling opportunity. I bet Green Bay and the over, so I look for Falcons quarterback props in anticipation of Ryan having to throw the ball a lot,” Lane said. “The goal is to win the side and total along with the two props without a lot of risk. I want to put myself in a position to, at worst, go 2-2.

“In their first meeting, (Aaron) Rodgers and Ryan combined to complete almost 77 percent of their passes with seven touchdowns. With the Falcons averaging 35 points at home and both teams scoring at least 34 last week, it’s hard to imagine that we’re looking at a 17-10 game.”

Station Casinos also has a prop “Will there be a missed field goal in game?” No is the minus-160 favorite in each game, and yes is plus-130. There were no missed field goals in the divisional round, when eight kickers combined to make all 21 of their attempts.

“The totals on the games scream more field-goal attempts, but will there be missed field goals?” Esposito said.

We like the prop at the Westgate, “Will both teams make a 33-yard or longer field goal?” Yes, which is minus-140 in the NFC and minus-110 in the AFC, hit in all four divisional games — capped by the Cowboys and Packers each making two field goals of at least 50 yards — and in six of the first eight playoff games.

“A lot has to do with the total in the game,” Sherman said. “Usually ‘no’ is favored, but ‘yes’ is favored in the (NFC) game because there should be a lot of scoring opportunities.”

We also like Le’Veon Bell total rushing yards under 120½ (minus-120). The Patriots are expected to key on stopping the Pittsburgh running back, who was limited to 81 yards rushing in the team’s first meeting this season. Also, New England has the NFL’s No. 3 rushing defense (88.6 ypg) and was one of three teams to not allow a 100-yard rusher.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.